Bending apparatus,especially for wrought iron work and other applications



Jan. 6, 19,70 I u B Rf ET AL 3,487,676

BENDING A-PPA- RATUS,- ESPECIA claw IRON LLY FOR WROU Filed Jan. 4.

WORK AND OTHER APPLICATIONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Awpvmn l/t/vl/ fun! uuuwr Came Maven-rho Jan. 6,1970

Filed Jan. 4, 1967 H. E. GUILBERT ETAL BENDING APPARATUS, ESPECIALLY FOR WROUGH'I IRON WORK AND OTHER APPLICATIONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WMP'M United States Patent BENDING APPARATUS, ESPECIALLY FOR WROUGHT IRON WORK AND OTHER APPLICATIONS Henri Emile Guilbert, Saint-Maude, and Cesar Marietta,

Saint-Leu-la-Foret, France, assignors to Anciens Etablissements Leon Guilbert & Fils, Paris, France, a French corporation Filed Jan. 4, 1967, Ser. No. 607,182 Claims priority, applicatioglssFrance, Aug. 10, 1966,

Int. cuzzld 31/00 US. Cl. 72-477 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A bending apparatus comprises at least two guiding volutes having different dimensions and superposed in steps. The volutes form, at the beginning of a coiling operation, a single tangential wall associated with a common clamping member.

start of the coiling operation, a single tangential wall associated with a common clamping means. The apparatus preferably comprises a plurality of such volutes, for example four or more.

The apparatus according to the invention thus enables bends or volutes to be formed of different dimensions, suitable in particular for amateur ironworking (manufacture of dish stands, frames and similar worked articles) and even for professional work.

According to a further characteristic feature, means are provided for positioning the parts to be bent.

According to these means, the tangential wall which starts the coiling is provided with a step serving as a stop abutment for the parts to be bent.

The positioning means also comprise a plate adjustable in height for levelling the parts to be bent with the object of coiling on one of the volutes selected from all the others. This plate is preferably rigidly fixed to sliding shaft, urged by a spring and lockable by a screw. In order to facilitate handling, the plate may comprise a bent-back extremity intended to be placed in contact on one of the steps, thus putting the running surface of the plate at the level of the higher step for coiling on the corresponding volute.

According to another characteristic feature, the volutes, the angular extent of which is of the order of one revolution or slightly more, constitute as a whole a mass fixed on a base provided with fixing means such as lugs with slots, on a vice or bench.

The mass of volutes has the general shape of a horseshoe forming a free internal space, in which the clamping means is housed.

In one form of construction, the clamping means comprises a pivoted cam provided with at least one sloping face which co-operates with the tangential wall which starts the coiling, for clamping the parts to be bent. The cam preferably comprises two sloping faces respectively adapted for clamping more or less large parts.

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In addition, according to the invention, the volutes are surmounted by one or more cylindrical studs of different diameters adapted to form the scrolls. Each of the studs has a part of its surface in the extension of the tangential wall which starts the coiling of the volutes and this part is adapted to co-operate with the clamping means.

One form of embodiment of the invention is described below by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a general view in perspective of a bending apparatus in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of this same apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a view in the corresponding side elevation;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but in which the cam co-operates with another sloping face for clamping a part to be bent;

FIG. 5 illustrates a twisting operation.

In the form of embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, there can be seen at in FIG. 1 the base of an apparatus according to the invention. The base comprises two oppositely-disposed lugs 11 which are provided with slots 12. The lugs 11 can for example be clamped in a vice in order to fix the apparatus. The base 10 may also be fixed on a bench by means of studs or other similar devices 13, engaged in the slots 12.

The apparatus comprises a number of guiding volutes or scrolls 14 (four in the example shown, indicated respectively by 14a, 14b, 14c and 14d), having different dimensions and superposed in steps 15. The volutes 14 have an angular extent of the order of one revolution or slightly more. In FIG. 1, the whole assembly of the volutes in tiers has the shape of the steps of a staircase in which the vertical portion or riser forming the volute is designated by the reference 14, while the horizontal portion or tread forming the step is indicated by the reference 15.

The volutes 14 and the steps 15 (FIGS. 1 to 4) constitute as a whole a mass 16 which is rigidly fixed in the base 10 and which has the shape of a horse-shoe forming a free internal space 17.

The volutes 14 form, at the start of the coiling operation, a single tangential wall 18 adjacent to the free space 17 and associated with a clamping means 19. This latter is housed in the free space 17 and is common to all the volutes 14. The tangential wall 18 is provided with a step 20 serving as an abutment stop for the positioning of a part to be copied, indicated at P in FIG. 2 and p in FIG. 4.

A plate 21 which is adjustable in height is provided for levelling the parts P or p to be bent, for the purpose of coiling on one of the volutes (for example the volute 14b of FIG. 3.) selected from all the volutes. The plate 21 is fixed on a sliding shaft 22 acted upon by a spring 23 and lockable by a screw 24. The plate 21 has a bent extremity 25 intended to be brought into contact with one of the steps 15, thus putting the running surface of the plate 21 on a level with the next higher step for the purpose of coiling on the corresponding volute 14 (the volute 14b of FIG. 3).

The clamping means 19 consists of a pivoted cam. More particularly, this cam is rigidly fixed to a shaft 26 which is rotatably engaged in a hole 27 formed in the base 10. If so desired, the cam 19 can be removed by lifting the shaft 26 out of the hole 27. There is shown at 28 a lever fixed to the cam 19 and serving to clamp and release the parts P or p between the cam and the well 18.

The cam 19 is provided with two opposite faces 29 and 30 adapted for clamping the large parts P (FIG. 2) and the small parts p shown in FIG. 4.

For clamping parts by means of the cam face 29, the cam 19 is placed as shown in FIG. 2, the lever 28 being moved from the position L1 to the position L2 for the clamping operation.

For clamping parts by means of the cam face 30, the

cam 19 is placed as shown in FIG. 4, the lever 28 being then displaced from the position L3 to the position L4 for the clamping operation.

The volutes 14 are surmounted by one or several cylindrical studs 31 of different diameters (two studs 31 in the example shown) adapted to form the scrolls. Each stud 31 has a part 32 of its surface in the extension of the tangential wall 18 which starts the volutes, and is adapted to co-operate with the clamping cam 19.

The parts P or p to be bent may be constituted by fiat strips, squares or round sections of iron such as are currently employed for small articles of wrought iron.

Means are also advantageously provided for twisting flat or square iron sections, as shown in FIG. 5, these means comprising a lever 33 provided with a number of square holes 34 of various dimensions. One of the extremities of the part V to be twisted is engaged in one of the holes 34 while the other extremity of the part V is held in a vice 35. The twisting of the part V is effected by giving a movement of rotation to the lever 33.

In order to bend a part, either of flat strip, square or round section iron, or of twisted iron for example, by means of the lever 33 of FIG. 5, the level of the plate 21 is first adjusted so as to be able to use one of the more or less large volutes 14 as the guiding means during the bending operation.

The cam 19 is placed with the orientation shown in FIG. 2 or that shown inFIG. 4, depending on whether the part P or p is more or less large.

The part is arranged on the plate 21 which brings it up to the correct level and it is applied against the starting wall 18 by engaging it until it abuts against the step 20. The part is then clamped between the cam 19 and the wall 18 by acting on the lever 28.

The part being thus firmly held at 18 and 19, it is then coiled on the corresponding volute 14 which serves as a guide. When the operation is completed, it is only necessary to slacken-otf the cam 19.

It will be appreciated that the apparatus according to the invention provides a simple and compact construction which permits wrought iron work to be eifected including bends in the form of volutes of various sizes.

The invention is ofcourse not limited to the form of construction described and shown, but includes all its alternative forms.

What we claim is:

1. A bending apparatus especially for bending iron parts comprising, a. spiral-shaped stair-like block having step portions and riser portions, at least two riser portions being provided and originating from a same central tangential area, said riser portions forming spiral convolutions of different sizes towards the block periphery, a common adapted to grasp between said clamping means and said area an end of a part which is intended to be selectively bent along a riser portion, and a plate variable in height for bringing said part to be bent on a level with the step portion extending immediately below that riser portion which is selected for bending said part.

2. A bending apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plate is provided with a spring-biased shaft lockable in position by a screw.

'3. A bending apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plate has a downwardly bent extremity which when said plate is on a level with any step contacts the next lower step.

4. A bending apparatus especially for bending iron parts comprising a horseshoe-shaped block having a free laterally open inner space and a spiral stair-like outer surface having a plurality of step portions and of riser portions, said space defining a central tangential vertical area, said riser portions all originating from said area and spirally extending towards the block periphery as spiral convolutions of different sizes, and a clamping cam means of uniform cross-sectional configuration mounted within said space for rotation around a vertical axis and adapted to grasp between said area and said cam means upon rotation thereof, an end of a part which is intended to be selectively bent along a riser portion While resting upon the step portion extending immediately below said riser portion.

5. A bending apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said convolutions have an angular extent of at least 360.

6. A bending apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said area is provided with an abutment stop for positioning the end of a part to be bent.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner B. I. MUSTAIKIS, Assistant Examiner v 7 US. Cl. X.R. 72 477 

